Shock absorbing car structure



Dec. 26, 1933. w. P. K ELLETT SHOCK ABSORBING CAR STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1933 r b n w m Dec. 26, 1933. w. P. KELLETT SHOCK ABSORBING CAR STRUCTURE Filed April 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Dec. 26, 1933. w. P. KELLETT SHOCK ABSORBING CAR STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 3, 1953 7. II. II ll l TIPII Dec. 26, 1933. w. P. KELLETT SHOCK ABSORBING CAR STRUCTURE Filed April 3, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 n rm W Iv Patented Dec. 26, 1933 SHOCK ABSORBING CAR STRUCTURE William Platte Kellett, Heldston, N. Y. Application April 3, 1933.- Serial No. 864,124

12 Claims.

The principal objects of this invention are to eflfect a material reduction of the losses, incurred in both rolling stock and lading, through severe impacts resulting from normal or. accidental operation of rolling stock. i

Under present day railroad operating conditions the coupling of cars is accomplished entirely by impact and switching conditions have so increased in severity due to speed that the losses have reached disastrous proportions. Numerous attempts have been made to overcome this wasteful condition of operation and considerable improvement has been accomplished in draft gear which materially reduces the impact shocks.

The principal feature of the present invention consists in providing rolling stock with a body or platform which is longitudinally displaceable on the chassis or running gear frame and arranging between the relatively moveable members a progressivelyincreasing shock absorbing and braking means which 'will eiTectively reduce severe impact shocks to practically a negligible quantity and which will be free from harmful reaction from stored impact energy, relieving the body and the goods carried thereby from smashing" eflect. In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the end portion of a railway freight car equipped with one form of application of this invention.

Figure 2 is a half plan view of the bolster and frame structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a half cross sectional view on the,-

line 3-3 Figure 1 and a half cross section on the line 3'3' Figure 1.

Figure & is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the centre sill roller supports and brake.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail taken through the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevational detail of one of the side sill roller supports.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional detail taken through the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevational detail of a modifled arrangement of shock absorbing element and roller support.

Figure 9 is a half cross section taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 8, and a half cross section on the line 9'9' Figure 8.. I

Figure 10 is an enlarged elevational view of a modified form of roller support and brake.

Figure 11 is a section of Figure 10 on line Figure 12 is a part longitudinal sectional elegitudinal movement by means of spring jacks or v buflers and I have also shown in Patents 1,- 675,562 and 1,693,607 goods containers mounted on dolley trucks which are also cushioned for limited longitudinal movement on the car.

The present invention is directed to a further development of car structure which is a marked advance over the structures hitherto proposed in that it utilizes to the fullest extent the cushioning effect of springs against endwise relative movement between the car chassis and the lading carrying structure and applies a braking eiiect to such movement both in the initial or impact movement and the reactive movement following the spring compression.

In the application of the invention herein.

shown the car frame 1 is provided with a transverse bolster structure 2 adjacent to each end and mounted in this bolster, preferably at either side of the centre sills 3 are spring buffers 4 having double end plungers 5 which operate against the opposite ends of a suitable enclosed spring 6. I

The car body or platform 7, which is mounted for longitudinal movement supported throughout its length on rollers-is provided with brackets 9 engaglngithe ends of the plungers 5 and shocks of impact imparted to the car chassis are materially absorbed by the buffer springs in transmitting movement from the chassis to the car body or platform through the engaging brackets.

In the detail construction illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 the flanged rollers 10 are suitably iournalled on bearing pins 11 mounted in frames 12, which form a part of the rigid chassis, and adjacent to the rollers and pretenably forming a part of such frames are the horizontal friction surfaces 13. v

. The platform or body of the car is formed with longitudinal centre beams or sills 14 and mounted on the bottom flanges of these sills are roller blocks 15 which extend between the flanges of the rollers 10. The bottom faces 'of the roller blocks 15 are formed with a downward camber 16 which rests upon the bearing Friction'blo'cks 17 are secured to theplatform or body parallel with the cambered blocks 15 and immediately above the friction surfaces 13. These blocks are formed with flat horizontal bottom surfaces which, when the body isllowered,

through the longitudinal movement of the cambered blocks on the rollers, engage in frictional contact with the surfaces 13 .and exert a braking.

effect and check the longitudinal movement of the body. 1 The blocks 15 and 17 are preferably mounted on resilient cushion strips 18, preferably of rubher, which will absorb a considerable amount of the vibration of the chassis and will also ensure the evenvs'upport .of the car body on its roller supportsand also upon the friction blocks'when they engage the .frame surfaces 13.

It will be readily appreciated that when the car-is subjected to alongitudinal impact shock, the spring buffer plungers 5,'which are in constantengagement with the body brackets 9, compress the buffer springs and thus to 'a considerabl'e'extent relieve the initial shock but, when thesprings have been compressed sufficiently to effect the longitudinal movement of the body, said body is lowered until the friction blocks 17 I by the buffer springs while the area B represents theamount of energy absorbed by. the separate carried thereby engage the frictions surfaces of thechas'sis and a braking effect is immediately commenced. This braking action continues and the pressure against the springs is progressively increased until the relative movementbetween the chassis and body ceases. 1 Y

' As the body comes to rest upon thechassis it will have picked up: the speed of movement of the chassis and as the buffer springsarethus relieved of the maximum load of the impact they then react under the energy stored therein to return to their normal position.

The car bodyand' its contents having been protectedfrom the full shock of the impact in a graduated pick upv is, then subject to the full force of: the spring reaction but as a large proportion of the weight of the .body is resting solidly on the braking surfaces the spring reaction will be considerably expended in dragging the body load -A. and B arranged at one side of the neutral line represent the total amount of kinetic energy existing in the moving car. The area A represents the amount of such enery absorbed braking element. A certain percentage of 'the energy represented by A is available as stored ener y to be utilized in'returning the load-car rying'member to its neutral position and the area C represents the amount of energy required to release the friction resistance represented-by area D. The remaining stored energy represented by the area E is sufficient to lift the load carrying member to disengage the-friction surfaces and return the load carrying member to its neutral position.

In the-structure illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the body is supported along the side sills by rollers 20 mounted on the body and these engage the cambered blocks 21 mounted on the frame. The arrangement of these outside rollers isoptional, that is, the position may be reversed if' desired so that all rollers are onthe' chassis or all may be mounted on the body.

In the modified structure illustrated in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11, the spring buffers 4' are mounted on the underside of the body structure and their plungers engage the brackets 9' rigid with the chassis.

The flanged rollers 8' are also shown mounted onthe body frame to engage the cambered blocks 15 mounted on" the chassis and friction blocks 17' are arranged at the sides of the rollers to engage co-operative friction surfaces on the chassis.

It will be readily appreciated that many variations in structural detail may be, made within the scope .of thisv invention while retaining the principal feature of utilizing the'relative endwise'movement of the frame and body to apply bothacush ioning resistance and a braking, effort toreli'eve the body from the impact shocks. This principle may also be appliedbetweenthe car chassis and an intermediate member or platform on which separate goodscontainers are mounted. Such an application is illustratedin FigurelZ ofthe drawings. I I

The platform 22 is provided with the grooved rollers 23 which ride on the camberedbloc'ks '24 on the car frame. Suitable runwaysareprovided 'onthe upper surface of the platformtofaccom- .modate the roller supports 25 of-the con;-

tainers 2d and these containers'are 'heldi tion by jacks2'1 or other formsof fastening bers. v

The provi ion of the shock absorbing buffer and braking devices between 'thecar. chassis carrying member adapted to store energy of movement between the aforesaid members sufilc'ientto return the load carrying member to a neutral position, and additional means acting only at times in associationwith the aforesaid means to finally arrest the relative movement of saidmembers, both means exerting ajgraduated resistance to impact shocks. 5 v

A car comprising achajssis, a load-carryin member longitudinally movable on said chassis,

means for applying a resilient resistance to longiand means for dissipating the energy stored in said I resilient means for removing the applied frictional resistance to movement and returning-the load carrying member to its normal position.

3. A-car comprising, a-chassis, a load supporting member longitudinally; displaceable on said chasthe relative longitudinal movement of said chassis and load supporting member for effecting a graduated increasing braking effort between said friction braking surfaces in addition to the cushioning means.

4. A car comprisinga chassis, a load supporting member longitudinally displaceable on said chassis, spring means for retarding relative longitudinal movement between said load supporting member and chassis, and means for applying friction to assist in retarding such relative movement intermediate of the retarding movement of said spring means, said spring means being capable of making said friction applying means ineffective following the arresting of the relative movement of the moving bodies.

5. A car comprising a chassis, a body longitudinally displaceable thereon, buffer springs adapted to absorb impact shocks, means utilizing the body load to impart a frictional braking effect between said body and carriage to arrest the relative movement and retard the velocity of recoil of said buffer springs, said springs being capable of moving the body load against the frictional braking, and means for effecting the lifting of the load under the impulse of said springs to clear said friction braking means.

6. A car comprising a chassis mounted on suitable wheels, a load supporting platform longitudinally displaceable on said chassis, rollers supporting said platform, inclined surfaces engaging said rollers and adapted upon the longitudinal relative movement of said chassis and platform to lower said platform, and friction braking means arranged between the platform and chassis brought into operating engagement by the lowering of said platform.

7. A car comprising a chassis mounted on suitable wheels, a load supporting platform longitudinally displaceable on said chassis, rollers supporting said platform, resilient means for restricting the longitudinal relative movement of said chassis and platform in both directions, braking surfaces on said platform and chassis and means for moving said platform and chassis to bring said surfaces into contact to effect the braking of the relative movement of said chassis and platform.

8. A car comprising a chassis mounted on suitable wheels, a load supporting platform longitudinally displaceable on said chassis, rollers for supporting said platform, blocks having oppositely inclined surfaces and normally engaging said rollers at the apexes of said inclined surfaces and permitting said platform to lower upon movement in either direction, resilient means for resisting endwise movement of said platform, and means separate from said resilient means, for braking the movement of the platform on its being lowered.

9. A car comprising a chassis, a platform mounted upon said chassis and capable of longitudinal movement, compression buffer springs horizontally arranged between said platform and the chassis to resiliently resist relative longitudinal movement, cambered blocks secured on one of said relatively moveable members, rollers mounted on the other of said relatively movable members and normally held by said buffers substantially centrally of the cambered blocks, horizontal friction surfaces on said chassis, and horizontal friction surfaces on said platform adapted to engage in frictional braking contact with the aforesaid friction surfaces upon the lowering of the platform through longitudinal movement in either direction in relation to the chassis.

10. A shock absorbing car structure, comprising a car chassis, a platform arranged for longitudinal movement on the top of said chassis, compression spring buffers arranged between said chassis and platform and secured to one of same, brackets engaging the opposite ends of said spring buffers and secured to the member relatively moveable to the member carrying the buffers, roller supports arranged between said chassis and platform, blocks having oppositely bevelled surfaces engaging the periphery of said rollers and adapted upon the relative longitudinal movement of the chassis and platform to effect the movement of the platform toward the chassis following the compression in either direction of the buffers, and friction blocks oppositely arranged on both platform and chassis adapted to engage in braking contact 'upon the lowering of the platform.

11. A car chassis having longitudinal beams, a platform mounted for longitudinal movement on said chassis and having longitudinal beams adjacent to the chassis beams, rollers mounted on adjacent beams, blocks havingbevelled surfaces extending in both directions longitudinally secured on adjacent beams with the apex of the beveled surfaces normally in vertical alignment with the axes of the rollers, friction blocks arranged adjacent to said rollers, friction blocks arranged adjacent to the bevelled blocks and adapted to engage the aforesaid friction blocks upon the lowering of the platform in its relative longitudinal movement, and resilient means supporting both the bevelled and friction blocks.

12. A car chassis having longitudinal beams, a platform mounted for longitudinal movement on said chassis and having longitudinal beams adjacent to the chassis beams, rollers mounted on adjacent beams, blockshaving bevelled surfaces extending in both directions longitudinally secured on adjacent beams with the apex of the bevelled surfaces normally in vertical alignment with the axes of the rollers, friction blocks arranged adjacent to the rollers, friction blocks arranged adjacent to the bevelled blocks and adapted to engage the aforesaid friction blocks upon the lowering of the platform in its relative longitudinal movement and rubber strips inserted between said blocks and their supporting means.

WILLIAM PLATTS 

